Chasing you
by Imleslieknope
Summary: During a decent proposal. Ryder is not sick and Austin gets to propose.
1. Chapter 1

**My first Melissa and Joey story.**

 **Disclaimer: if the show was mine, it would not be over.**

 **Summary: Ryder is not sick and Austin gets to propose.**

Mel and Austin just left for the restaurant 5 minutes ago and Lennox is still pacing in the living room. She doesn't know what to do, she only knows that she definetely _not_ want her aunt to marry Austin, not when only two hours ago Joe told her that he had feelings for her aunt.

Joe who is so right for Mel. Joe whom she loved kind of like a father since she's been leaving here. And she knows that if her aunt decides to marry someone else, Joe will leave. And after what happened with her parents that would destroy her and her brother and as much as her aunt refuses to admit it she will be devastated too.

Lennox was still deep in her thoughts when Ryder and Joe came out of the kitchen eating something Ryder apparently made himself. Ryder was so engrossed in his food he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary but Joe did.

"Hey Len, what's wrong?" he asked, frowning.

Lennox was wrigling her hands, she didn't know how to say it without hurting his feelings but he had to do something .

"spill it" he added.

"It's Austin, he just told me he's gonna propose to Aunt Mel, you have to go stop him!" she said all of that very fast, as if it would somehow help.

"What? Are you sure? "

"Well either he's gonna propose or he finally found a ring to rule them all. Three technically." She replied.

"Three?" Ryder asked. He finally seemed to register what was going on around him now that the food was gone.

"Yes" she practically yelled. "He came in here with three rings asking me which one would Aunt Mel like best. But enough chit chat you have to go stop it Joe"

"Ok, yeah, I'm- What am I gonna say?" Joe stammered.

"That you love her, you idiot!" Lennox exclamed.

"Right"

"Wait, you don't even know where they are" Lennox shouted before he crossed the threshold.

"Then tell me" he said raising his hands above his head.

"Emilio's"

"Southern Italian?!" he said scoffing and grumbling something about Austin having no taste. And with that Joe was gone.

Lennox was still stressed out but she started squealing. Joe was going to fix everything.

Joe was driving over the speed limit but he wanted to be there before Austin proposed. By chance, there was a parking spot just in front of the restaurant entry when he arrived. He rushed inside the room and try and spot them, but what he saw had his stomach churning. There, in front of him, was Austin down on one knee, a ring in his hand and a smile on his face.

Joe was rooted to the spot. He was too late. He couldn't believe it, all of this for nothing. After everything that happened between them. He needed to get out of there. Just as he was about to leave, his eyes met Mel's. And he decides it's too much for him. He gives her a small smile and turns around to go back where he came from.

When she sees him, Mel blanched.

"Joe" she whispered.

Austin cleared his throat "Hum, my name is Austin."

"No, I know that" she said still not looking at him, her eyes fixating on the door.

"Babe, are you alright?"

"Sure, could you give me a minute?" She said already up and walking towards the exit.

"Of course" he says but he's not sure she's even heard him because she's already halfway through the door. "This is not good" he says to himself.

 _tbc_

 _thoughts?_


	2. Chapter 2

Joe was almost to his car, he could not stand looking at her anymore, she had obviously made her choice.

Mel was practically running by now, determined to get to him before he drove off to god knows where, and then she spotted him "Joe" she yelled, walking faster towards him.

The sound of his name surprised him and made him stop, he turned, surprise in his eyes.

"Mel, what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question"

"I asked you first" he replied.

"Fine! I saw you there and didn't want you to get the wrong idea"

"The wrong idea? Mel! Austin was proposing to you, what other idea could I have, seeing him on one knee with a ring? Plus It's not like there's something between us, right? At least that's what you told me a couple of days ago."

She could tell he was angry, and knew he had every right to be after what happened between them and then Austin bursting in. Everything happened so fast. She was not even sure of anything anymore.

"Look, I'm sorry" she started to say but he didn't let her finish.

"About what? That you're gonna marry him? Don't worry about me Mel, I'll be gone before you know it."

"What?"

"Well this thing clearly isn't working. It'll be better for all of us."

"But Joe, you can't, what about the kids?" at that he snorted.

"They are old enough to go to college, they don't need me anymore."

"What about me?" she said timidly.

"You have Austin, I'm sure you'll be fine. You should go back, he's probably waiting for you. I know I would be." and then he went into his car to leave and Mel was left alone, shocked.

She started to go back inside the restaurant, but she was still not registering what had just happened. She barely heard Austin asking her what was wrong and where she'd been for so long. She needed to get out, to get some fresh air, but mainly, she needed to think.

Austin was mid sentence when she told him "I have to go" while getting up. He gently grabbed her arm "You still haven't answered my question, you know?"

"What question?"

"Are you serious? Mel what's going on?"

"Nothing" she said her voice getting higher. "What was your question?"

"Will you marry me?"

"Oh, right. I-" she didn't know what to say. Austin was a great guy. He was everything she'd ever wanted. There was only one problem, he was not Joe.

"It's because of him, isn't it?"

"I'm sorry" was all she could say before leaving him there.

When Mel stepped on the curb, she realized that Austin drove her there. "Great" she sighed. "I'll just have to call J-" she stopped before she could finish her thought. No, she couldn't not call Joe. Oh god, what did she do? She needed to find him and talk to him. Soon. But first, she needed to get home. She took out her phone and started dialling.

Meanwhile, Joe just parked in Mel's driveway. He hadn't decided what he would do. Should he leave tonight? But where to? He didn't even have a place to stay. But god staying under the same roof as Mel and her new fiancé would be so awkward and difficult for him, he was not sure he can do it.

"Where is Aunt Mel?" Lennox asked him as soon as he entere the kitchen "I thought she would be with you"

"So did I, but hey don't worry, your soon to be new Uncle Austin will probably be here soon." he replied.

"What? Please don't tell me that even after you told her you loved her she still agreed to marry that guy!"

"Hum, that's not exactly how it went" he answered nervously.

"What do you mean? Joe, please tell me you told her you love her?"

"It was implied!"

"Oh my god, you're probably worse than her!" she exclaimed.

"You know what? I don't need this right now. I'm gonna go to my room and start packing."

Lennox heart sank. He was leaving. He was actually leaving them.

"But, you can't go."

"Look Lennox, I'm sorry it didn't turn out as you'd wish, but I promise you we'll still see each other"

"Yeah right!" she was not looking at him anymore.

"We will." he insisted.

"You should go pack" she said while climbing the stairs to lock herself up in her room.

 _tbc_


	3. Chapter 3

_Final part, I'm not sure I'm happy with the ending but here it is anyway._

 _Also sorry if there are any mistakes in this story._

Joe sighed and went to his room. There were so many things he wished he had done before leaving. He was still not sure they will manage to survive without him here. But it was not his job to worry about them anymore, right? Well, he could still care, after all he did promise Lennox they would still see each other. But it would not be the same. They all knew it.

He started sorting out his things, he hadn't realized how much crap he accumulated in the three years he had worked here.

The cab Mel called just arrived to pick her up at the restaurant, she gave him her adress and sat back, thinking. She hoped Joe would be home and they could talk. The drive home was fast, she had not realized they had already arrived. She gave him his money and rushed inside. The house was quiet, maybe too quiet. Had he already gone?

She went into the kitchen. Empty. She could see he had gone through the cupboard to take his stuff. She felt like crying. She slowly walked up the stairs to check his room which would probably be empty too by now.

She silently opened the door and her breath caught in her throat. Joe was there, sitting on his bed, looking at a picture of all of them, with a small smile on his lips. She walked up to him and put a hand in his shoulder.

"I remember this day" she said and he suddenly looked at her.

"Yeah, the kids didn't want to take the picture" he replied. She chuckled.

"But it turned out great, look at us all, smiling"

He suddenly stood up, looking sad.

"I have to finish packing"

"It doesn't have to be like that" she said.

"You know, I can't stay like this."

"Like what?"

"With you and Austin" he replied saddened.

"I know, that's why Austin won't be here."

"What do you mean?" he said hopefully.

"I said no."

"Why? I thought he was the most perfect guy for you?" he asked as he stepped closer to her.

"Maybe, but there was one big problem" she told him stepping even closer.

"And what was that?" he asked her, looking at her lips then back into her eyes.

"He was not you" she said with a small smile.

And then he was kissing her and she was kissing him back, their heads tilted to the side. He took a step closer to her so that their bodies were flushed against one another and there was no room between the two of them. He had a hand on her back and the other in her hair. As they deepened the kiss she started moaning. They only stopped when they could no longer breath, but were still in the other's embrace, smiling widely.

"You really wanna give this a try?" he asked her.

"Yes" she breathed out still smiling.

"Then this calls for celebration" he said kissing her lightely on the lips and taking her hands to guide her to the kitchen where they could have a glass of wine.

Once the glasses were poured, they toasted.

"To us!" she said.

"To us." he echoed.

 _Fin_


End file.
